Strengthening our guidance for effective Safety Committees

We're introducing new guidance and a university‑wide approach to how Faculty and Departmental Safety Committees operate. The aim is simple – clearer ownership of risk, better use of committees, and more effective escalation when things start to go wrong.

For Departmental Safety Officers, this means a stronger governance framework that supports earlier intervention, clearer challenge and more consistent assurance, without extra bureaucracy.

What this means

• Clear leadership and shared accountability: Safety committees are now clearly positioned as an assurance mechanism for Heads of Department, supported by Departmental Safety Officers, technical staff and other representatives. Managing risk is a leadership responsibility, shared across the department.
• More focused, useful meetings: Meetings are centred on risks, trends, incidents and assurance. This helps everyone involved focus on what really matters, spot emerging issues sooner and keep discussions at the right level.
• ​​​​​Clearer routes to raise concerns: Defined escalation routes make it easier to raise serious or cross‑cutting risks and get support when local controls aren’t enough.
• Flexible arrangements that fit different areas: Joint and faculty‑level committees are formally recognised, making it easier to support smaller or lower‑risk areas while still maintaining effective oversight and representation.
• Clearer roles, better teamwork: By being clearer about who does what, this approach reduces confusion and supports more confident challenge and better follow‑through on actions.

Strengthening UCL’s safety culture

Safety governance works best when everyone understands their role and how issues move through the system. This approach helps:

• Committees work more effectively and consistently.
• Risks can be identified and addressed earlier.
• Escalation happens smoothly when it’s needed.
• Assurance can be clear and credible. 

The outcome is better conversations, clearer accountability and safer outcomes for staff, students and visitors.

Explore the new safety committee framework

Further information

• Establishing a Departmental Safety Committee – practical guidance on the purpose, role, membership and operation of departmental safety committees, including expectations for Chairs.
• Health and Safety Committees (Chapter 3.4 – Safety Management System) – explains how Departmental Safety Committees fit within UCL’s wider safety governance structure, alongside Faculty and University‑level committees.

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